The computer has greatly affected essentially all forms of graphical editing, including computer aided design and drafting (CAD). Some simpler geometric modeling computer program products are two dimensional, providing only length and width dimensions of objects, while more complex and powerful computer program products provide three dimensional editing and visualization.
Three dimensional CAD programs are also heavily utilized in computer aided manufacturing (CAM) to first create objects in three-dimensional computer space for testing and design validation before the objects are machined. In the CAD/CAM industry it is common to virtually design sheet metal with the ability to use tools like a bend operation to virtually fold or bend portions of the sheet metal object utilizing CAD programs like SolidEdge® or NX®, for example. Likewise, it is common for CAD programs to provide the designer the ability to use a “ClosedCorner” feature that modifies two flanges in one operation to close a corner where two flanges meet. The problem is features similar to ClosedCorner are limited to cylindrical surface extensions, to bends in the same direction, or corners without additional features, for example.
Following the bend operation, there is a need for the sheet metal CAD application to control the shape of the created corner so as to avoid the designer wasting a lot of material or having to re-work the piece altogether. There is also a need for a closed corner solution that can handle a range of different bend angles, and bend radii between two bend regions, including the case of creating corners between features bended in different directions.